Kara Sears
Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States, is no longer a licensed lawyer. Obama graduated from Harvard Law School in 1991 and was admitted to the Supreme Court of Illinois as a lawyer that same year. He worked as a civil rights lawyer at the firm Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland before pursuing a career in politics. In 2007, Obama voluntarily elected to have his law license placed on inactive status, and it was changed to retired after he became president in 2009. It has been rumoured that Obama surrendered his license to escape charges of lying on his bar application, but these claims have been debunked. Both Barack and Michelle Obama could practice law again if they chose to do so.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for surrendering law license | To escape charges of lying on his bar application |
| Year of surrendering law license | 2008 |
| Law school attended | Harvard Law School |
| Year of graduation from law school | 1991 |
| Worked as a lawyer at | Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland |
| Worked as a lawyer for how many years | 4 years |
| Taught constitutional law at | University of Chicago Law School |
| Taught constitutional law for how many years | 12 years |
| Year of becoming the president of the US | 2009 |
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What You'll Learn
Obama's law license status
Barack Obama graduated from Harvard Law School in 1991 and was admitted as a lawyer by the Supreme Court of Illinois on December 17, 1991. He worked as a civil rights lawyer at the firm formerly known as Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland. He was also a lecturer and senior lecturer of constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School.
In February 2007, four days after announcing his presidential candidacy, Obama elected to have his law license placed on "
There is a false rumor that Obama surrendered his license to avoid disciplinary action and charges. However, a court official confirms that no public disciplinary proceeding has ever been brought against him.
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Obama's career trajectory
Barack Obama is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. Obama's career trajectory began with his education at Columbia University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science in 1983. He then worked as a community organizer in Chicago before enrolling in Harvard Law School in 1988. During his time at Harvard, he became the first black president of the Harvard Law Review and graduated with a Juris Doctor magna cum laude in 1991.
After graduating from law school, Obama accepted a position as a Visiting Law and Government Fellow at the University of Chicago Law School, where he also taught constitutional law from 1992 to 2004. In 1996, he was elected to represent the 13th district in the Illinois Senate, a position he held until he successfully ran for the US Senate in 2004. Obama served as a US senator representing Illinois from 2005 to 2008 before becoming the first African-American president of the United States in 2009.
During his time as a lawyer, Obama worked at the law firm Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland, where he was involved in 30 cases and accrued 3,723 billable hours. He also served on the board of directors of several organizations, including the Woods Fund of Chicago and the Joyce Foundation, which helped him build a network of community activists who later supported his political career.
In terms of his law license status, Obama voluntarily changed his registration to inactive in 2007 when he announced his presidential candidacy and then to retired in 2009 after becoming president. This means that he is not authorized to practice law in Illinois, but he could reactivate his license if he chose to do so. There were rumors that Obama surrendered his license to avoid disciplinary actions or criminal charges, but these have been proven false by court officials.
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The role of the ARDC
The ARDC, or the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission, is a professional administrative entity that governs licensing and disciplinary actions for attorneys licensed to practice in the state of Illinois. The ARDC's operations are primarily funded by an annual fee assessed against lawyers registered to practice in Illinois. The ARDC maintains offices in both Chicago and Springfield.
The Commission has several adjudicatory boards with different roles in the disciplinary system. The Administrator, who is the principal executive officer of the agency, has a staff of more than 80 employees, including over 30 lawyers. The staff oversees registration, conducts investigations, prosecutes disciplinary cases and unauthorized practice of law actions, supports volunteer board members, and produces publications and programs related to ethics and discipline.
The ARDC maintains accurate records relating to all practicing lawyers in the State of Illinois. The ARDC provides courts and the public with access to information about individual lawyers, including business contact information. As part of annual registration, lawyers pay fees to the ARDC, which are used to fund the ARDC’s operations and support various programs and funds, including the Lawyers’ Assistance Program, the Lawyer’s Trust Fund, the Illinois Supreme Court’s Commission on Professionalism, and the Client Protection Program Trust Fund.
The ARDC's new mission statement is: "The ARDC preserves and advances the integrity of the legal profession through attorney registration and education, public outreach, restorative services, and, when necessary, attorney discipline." The ARDC is committed to fostering a legal profession that is trusted, ethical, and dedicated to serving the public.
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Obama's academic achievements
Barack Obama's academic achievements are notable, particularly in the field of law. Obama graduated from Columbia University in 1983 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. He then went on to enrol in Harvard Law School, from which he graduated in 1991. During his time at Harvard, Obama became the first Black president of the Harvard Law Review. This prestigious position showcased his academic excellence and leadership skills within the field of law.
Following his graduation from Harvard Law School, Obama was admitted as a lawyer by the Supreme Court of Illinois in December 1991. He began his legal career as a civil rights attorney, working at the firm Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland. In addition to his legal practice, Obama also taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School from 1992 to 2004, sharing his knowledge and expertise with aspiring lawyers.
While Obama's law license is currently listed as "voluntarily retired and not authorized to practice law" in Illinois, it is important to note that this status change was a voluntary decision made in conjunction with his political career. Obama chose to place his law license on inactive status in 2007 when he announced his candidacy for president, and changed it to retired status after becoming president in 2009. This decision was made to comply with certain requirements and avoid potential conflicts of interest during his political career.
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Obama's political career
Barack Obama's political career began in 1996 when he was elected to the Illinois State Senate, where he served as the Democratic Spokesperson for the Public Health and Welfare Committee and Co-Chairman of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules. Notably, he helped pass legislation that tightened campaign finance regulations and expanded healthcare to poor families.
In 2000, Obama made his first run for the U.S. Congress, seeking a Democratic U.S. House seat in Illinois' First District. However, he lost to incumbent Representative Bobby Rush. In 2002, Obama began preparing for a 2004 U.S. Senate race, formally announcing his candidacy in January 2003. He was an early opponent of the George W. Bush administration's 2003 invasion of Iraq, addressing anti-war rallies in October 2002 and March 2003.
In July 2004, Obama delivered the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in Boston, Massachusetts, gaining national recognition. Later that year, he was elected as a U.S. Senator from Illinois, defeating Republican Alan Keyes.
In February 2007, Obama announced his candidacy for President of the United States, and he formally accepted the Democratic Party's nomination in August 2008. On November 4, 2008, Obama became the first African-American to be elected President of the United States. He was inaugurated as the 44th President on January 20, 2009, and he served until 2017.
During his presidency, Obama signed significant legislation, including the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, encouraging fair pay for all workers, and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which aimed to create jobs and extend unemployment benefits to combat the Great Recession.
Since leaving office, Obama has remained politically active, campaigning for candidates in various American elections, including Biden's successful presidential bid in 2020. He has also published three books: "Dreams from My Father" (1995), "The Audacity of Hope" (2006), and "A Promised Land" (2020).
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Barack Obama surrendered his law license in 2008, but it was not due to any charges against him.
No, this is not true. Michelle Obama did surrender her law license in 1993, but it was not due to any charges against her.
Yes, Barack Obama can practice law again if he chooses to do so.
Barack Obama surrendered his law license four days after he announced his candidacy for president in 2007. He may have done this to avoid the requirement to take continuing education classes and pay annual fees.
